Traditions

At this time of year we tend to focus on traditions; those we continue and those we hope to put in place. What are your traditions?

I believe traditions are essential in our lives. They create a foundation for our values and also provide a way for us to connect with those we love and create memories for future generations. In a way, our traditions are what keep us connected to loved ones that came before us and those that will come after. Everyone wants leadership. Often, the person willing to uphold the tradition will serve as that leader. Knowing that certain activities and gatherings will happen each year provides a sort of comfort and certainty for our families and friends. I have found that even traditions that seem "silly" are held as important to those involved. While you might expect people to grow out of some traditions, they often look forward to the event and find ways to involve their children or growing families.

Growing up, my family's traditions around Christmas are many of my best memories. My mom made sure to be consistent in activities and even foods that are now an integral part of what I consider "the Holidays". She always made sugar cookies which the kids would decorate together. After we grew older, we still would come together as teenagers to ice the sugar cookies (though our designs became less child-like and more competitive). After moving out of the house, this tradition faded and I found that I missed it. A few years ago I decided to revive this tradition in my own home. Not having kids, it seemed a little unnecessary, but I determined that if the activity and memory make me feel good, it is worth doing. I invited my step-daughters and siblings over to participate. Some years they came, other times they didn't. This year, I convinced myself that I was the only one interested in continuing the sugar cookie tradition, so I planned to just do it alone. I was surprised to have a couple of people ask me about it and whether or not I was hosting it again this year. This goes back to my point that people feel good being involved in traditions. They may not go out of their way to plan it, they may not be as attached as you are, but if the opportunity is presented to participate in familiar family-oriented activities, they will jump at the chance.

In our home, Roland and I have made it a point to create and continue traditions. It is easy to get discouraged when others choose not to participate sometimes, but over the years we have learned that if you provide the consistency, they will always come back. Our families know that we are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. While their lives take them out on many paths full of excitement and stress, eventually we all seek out that familiar comforting place we fill with traditions.

So, what are your traditions? I love looking for new ones to share with my family or maybe even good ideas to expand on some of our existing ones. A few of ours include:

• Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner on St Patrick's Day. We recently turned this into a dinner party to invite friends over for the evening.
• Lamb Dinner on Easter. Our families always join us for a lamb roast and mint jelly.
• 4th of July Parade. We meet up at about 4:00 am to go stake out a spot at the local parade. We always stop for Krispy Kreme donuts and then follow it up with a BBQ.
• Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt. This was a new one for us this year (thanks to Roland's sister for the idea!) but it was a lot of fun and I think we will continue this in years to come. We handed out a scavenger hunt list a few weeks prior to Thanksgiving and invited everyone to collect their items and bring them to Thanksgiving dinner where the winner would receive a prize. The competition was fun and it created an opportunity for family members to work together to help their team win.
• Sugar Cookies at Christmas. I love to make my mother's recipe and invite the family over to help decorate and take home a plate of treats.
• Homemade Ornament Exchange. Roland's mother and sister started an ornament exchange a few years ago. They were nice enough to let me join in. Each year the women make a homemade ornament for each of the others and we exchange. The photo at the top of this post was the ornament I made this year.

So, what are your favorite traditions? Do you think tradition plays an important role in your home?

The Newest Member of Our Household!

No, we did not have a baby. And no, we did not get another dog. Although Roland makes fun of me because every time I see a Humane Society commercial I get emotional and am convinced I must adopt every hungry and/or neglected puppy.

Today my Christmas gift from my honey arrived! A brand new, smooth ceramic surface range/oven. I am excited to say the least. Our old range (may that terrible beast rest in peace) had many issues. If you have ever cooked on a stove with a short in the burner, you can sympathize. Mid-cooking your pan goes cold and you realize the burner has stopped working. Take the pan off the stove, use a hot pad to push the burner into the socket and hope a fresh connection is made before you lose the momentum of whatever you were cooking. Then there was the bottom drawer, where you store the pans. The thing never sat on the rails right so it was always crooked and made a racket anytime you opened it. 1st world problems? Of course. But for someone who loves to cook, this was enough for my sweetheart to take pity on me and surprise me with this beauty on Christmas morning!

Many recipes will be shared. Many hours will be spent cuddling. Okay, maybe not actually cuddling, but I do have a slight crush on this machine. It makes me want to dress up like Donna Reed. Who wants some celebratory cookies?

Roasted Cabbage

I am always looking for easy and tasty vegetable options, because, let's face it, you can only eat steamed broccoli so many times. This is a great way to prepare cabbage. It is easy and always gets a great response from the dinner guests. I used this preparation for our St Patrick's Day dinner party also, since it seems like crock pot cabbage always turns out soggy and flavorless. Give this one a try along side your favorite meat dish. I recently served this with a dry-rub seasoned flank steak and it was a delicious meal!

Roasted Cabbage
1 large head green cabbage
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet or roasting pan with non-stick spray. Wash outside of cabbage head. Cut head in half (through the core) and then cut each half in half twice more, leaving you with 8 wedges. Arrange wedges on baking sheet and brush each wedge with a little olive oil. Flip wedges and repeat on other side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast in oven for 15 minutes. Carefully flip each wedge and roast for anther 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Scotch Eggs

Scotch eggs are delicious! If you haven't tried one before, you will love this recipe. Traditionally, scotch eggs are rolled in bread crumbs and fried. They are a common "pub" food in Britain and often eaten cold. I've never tried that version, but this Primal grain-free version is awesome and has become a favorite breakfast at our house. It is great to eat hot and fresh, but also easy to pack up and reheat later if you need breakfast on the go. I usually make enough for a couple of days as the leftovers taste just as good.

Scotch Eggs
1 lb hot Italian sausage
5 hard boiled eggs, shelled
3/4 cup almond flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Divide the sausage into 5 equal parts. (I have noticed at some stores it is cheaper to buy Italian sausage links than the ground sausage. They are usually by the bratwurst in the meat section. This is great because the meat is already divided for you. Just remove the casings and you are ready to go.) Flatten 1 portion of sausage in your palm like a patty. Place an egg in the middle of the sausage and use your hands to mold the sausage around the egg, making sure to seal the meat completely around the egg. Repeat with all 5 eggs. Roll each sausage ball in almond flour and set on foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake the eggs until the outside is browned and the sausage is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow eggs to rest for 5 minutes. Once ready to serve, cute each egg in half and serve plain or with hot sauce or mustard.

"Spaghetti"

Spaghetti has always been a favorite meal at our house. But since we have given up grains in our diet, I thought we would have to give up this meal as well. Luckily, I found an easy and healthy substitution....spaghetti squash! Roland was hesitant the first time I made this. He really did not want me messing with the spaghetti recipe he loves, but after tasting it, he was sold. We love this recipe and I use it often for dinner at our house. Hope you enjoy it too!

Primal "Spaghetti"
1 medium (or 2 small) spaghetti squash (I usually can get about 6 servings from a medium squash)
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 lb ground hot Italian sausage
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce (or use the recipe below to make a homemade sauce)

Tomato Basil Sauce
1 can (28 oz) tomato sauce
1 large avocado
Handful of fresh basil leaves (or use dried if necessary)
garlic powder, to taste

To make homemade sauce, combine 4 above ingredients in blender and blend until smooth, adding a little water if sauce is too thick.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Use a metal spoon to scoop out all the seeds and stringy center (like you would on a pumpkin). Rub a small amount of olive oil on the exposed squash in each half and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Turn squash halves face down in a roasting pan. Add about 1/4 inch of water to pan. Cover pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, combine Italian sausage, onion and minced garlic in a large sauce pan.

Cook over medium high heat until sausage is browned and cooked through. Add spaghetti sauce to meet mixture, reduce heat to low and simmer until squash is done roasting.

Once squash is ready, remove foil, and turn squash halves face-up. Using 1 fork to hold the squash in place, use a 2nd fork to scrape from the edges toward the center of squash. The "meat" of the squash should easily shred into "noodles".

Serve "noodles" topped with meat sauce (and a little fresh grated Parmesan) along with a green salad and you are all set!

Penne with Italian Sausage

This recipe is a favorite at our house. It is fresh, delicious, and can be made to be low fat and healthy. I've made it for company a couple of times and it has always gotten rave reviews. I generally use spicy Italian sausage for the extra flavor because we like a little kick, but you can use the mild version for less spice or turkey Italian sausage for a lower fat version. I've made all of these versions and they are all great.

Penne with Italian Sausage
1 lb Italian sausage links (generally there are 5 links in a package)
1 medium onion, chopped (yellow or white)
2 cloves minced garlic
28 oz diced tomatoes (1 large can or 2 regular cans)
2 T pesto
1 1/2 cups penne pasta
3 cups fresh spinach
2 oz feta cheese

Cut sausages into 1/4 inch slices. In large saute pan, combine sausage, onion and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until sausage is cooked and no longer pink in the center, stirring frequently.

Add diced tomatoes. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium saucepan, prepare pasta as directed on package. Once cooked, drain and set aside. Once finished simmering, add pesto to sausage mixture and stir to combine evenly. Spread cooked penne in bottom of 13x9 inch baking dish. Pour sausage mixture over pasta. Add spinach and feta and use spatula to carefully stir and turn all ingredients in pan to mix well (we are going for a casserole feel here, not separate layers).

Baked uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Stuffed Blueberry French Toast

This is a fantastic recipe for brunch. I recommend serving it with a frittata or quiche (super easy recipe coming soon) and fresh fruit. Although it is pretty easy to put together, it tastes great and presents nicely, so guests love it. And, since you can prepare most of it the night before, it makes for less work the day of your event.

Stuffed Blueberry French Toast
12 slices thick bread, crusts removed and cubed (Potato or buttermilk work the best. Something light and fluffy.)
8 oz cream cheese
1 pkg (16 oz) frozen blueberries, or 3 cups fresh blueberries
10 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 T cornstarch
1 T butter

Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish. Place 1/2 of the cubed bread in dish and spread around evenly. Cube the cream cheese into small pieces and arrange evenly in dish over bread. Add 1/3 of the blueberries over the cream cheese. Arrange remaining bread over the top. In medium bowl, beat together eggs, maple syrup and milk. Pour evenly over the bread so everything is moistened. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil cover and bake for an additional 30 minutes, until top is lightly browned.
While dish is baking, prepare your sauce. In saucepan combine water, sugar and cornstarch. Stir together to dissolve the sugar. Heat over medium-high heat adding 1/2 of the remaining blueberries. When sauce is cooked and thickened, add the remaining blueberries and the butter. Continue to heat until sauce is hot all the way through.
Remove french toast from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Cut into 8-10 pieces. Spoon desired amount of sauce over each individual potion when serving.

Easter Lamb & Roasted Asparagus

Every year for Easter dinner we have the girls over and Roland makes a lamb roast. It is a tradition everyone looks forward to. With Easter coming up this weekend we are getting ready for another delicious dinner and I thought it would be the perfect time to pass on a few of our ideas. Last year Roland made a video explaining how he prepares the lamb.

Easter Lamb



Our side dishes vary from year to year, but we generally have a rice or potato side dish (last year it was rice pilaf, this year we are trying au gratin potatoes), rolls and a vegetable or two.One of the family favorites is this roasted asparagus. It is so simple but tastes great.

Roasted Asparagus
1 bunch of asparagus
olive oil
salt & pepper

Preheat the broiler. Wash asparagus and snap off bottoms of stems. Arrange asparagus on baking sheet in a single layer. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Broil for approx 10 minutes or until asparagus just starts to become tender but not soft. Half way through cooking I usually shuffle the pan a little to rotate the spears.

Happy Easter! I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday.

Chicken Pot Pie

This is an easy and tasty recipe for homemade chicken pot pie. It is also much lower in fat than the store bought versions. For the crusts, I use the premade ones in the refrigerator section of the grocery store (next to the biscuit dough). Each box contains two crusts so you have a top and bottom. You just roll them out and they are ready to use. If you have a great pie crust recipe, you could substitute that for this recipe.

Chicken Pot Pie

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup celery, sliced
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 unbaked pie crusts
1 egg white

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In saucepan, combine cubed chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add chicken broth and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Drain, reserving the liquid and veggie mix separately.
In same saucepan, saute onions in butter over medium heat until soft. Stir in flour and seasonings. Slowly add reserved chicken liquid and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. About 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Roll out pie crusts and brush with egg white wash. Place bottom crust in pie dish and bake for 6 minutes. This will create a bit of a barrier so once you add the filling, the crust will not get soggy. Remove crust from oven. Add chicken/veggie mixture into crust. Pour gravy mixture over filling. Cover with top crust, seal edges and trim any excess dough. Make several slits in the top for steam. Bake for 30-35 minutes until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Makes approximately 6 large slices.

Pumpkin Roll

I've always wanted to make a pumpkin roll. So this year I attempted it and it turned out beautiful and delicious. It was a great addition to the Thanksgiving desserts, right next to my pecan pie and cheesecake. And then I made a couple more for Christmas to use as gifts and party food. I opted to use fresh roasted pumpkin from the garden, but you can easily replace that with the canned version for this recipe.

Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup pumpkin puree (fresh roasted or canned)

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp baking soda

powdered sugar for dusting

Filling

1 cup powdered sugar

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 T butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 15x10x1 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper or wax paper. Grease and flour the paper.

In large bowl, beat eggs on high for 5 minutes. Gradually add sugar and pumpkin. Add flour, cinnamon, pie spice, and baking soda. Mix well. Spread batter evenly in pan.

Bake for 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately turn out onto linen towel (or wax paper) dusted well with powdered sugar. Peel off original paper and roll cake up in towel, starting at the short end. Cool completely.

To make filling, beat powdered sugar, vanilla, butter, and cream cheese together until smooth.

Carefully unroll cooled cake. Spread filling over cake to within 1 inch of edges. Roll cake again. Wrap cake roll in foil and chill until ready to serve. If you put in the freezer for 15 minutes prior to serving, it will be easier to slice. Dust with additional powdered sugar if desired. Slice to serve.

Each roll makes approximately 10-12 slices.